Hurgah moves along in the center of the group, doing his best to keep alert despite his significant lack of rest.

-

I think the quick and dirtiest way to factor in this positional development is to have the Mithral Scarab and Hurgah change places. It seems to work well in that it puts Hurgah in front of Moonpate so they can retain their buddy-system. Hal called middle early on, so I wouldn't be inclined to swap him, unless he prefers it. While the Scarab was happiest in the center with Hal, she won't mind taking the rear with Breach either.

Though there's a bunch of other combos we could do with some shuffling, including creating new rows and squeezing to make a row three abreast. Let me know.

. . . I speak, of course, about a most amicable arcane servant who can walk ahead, perhaps carrying this useless bow of mine or one of these broken spears, with light suitably placed upon it. . ."

-

Based the quoted section from Phrip’s original post on the subject above, how I understand it, Moonpate's conjuration (Anyo 2.0) will have an overlay of Gandel's dancing lights. Rather than the classic four light variation, it is the vaguely human-like figure version fitted overtop the unseen servant, the result completing the more convincing conjuration. Though I may be reading too much into the phrase ‘suitably placed light’. If we prefer a non-glowing Anyo, just let me know.

With Donkor’s eerie communion with the corpse complete (and the resolution of Karek and Moonpate’s refreshment break) the Dune Squad heads forth. Or, to be more precise, first the conjured apparition nicknamed Anyo heads forth.

Scooping up a bow and a broken spear, the glowing humanoid silently advances ahead, its vague outline of feet never quite touching the floor. Once Anyo is a full fifty feet in front, Karek (or was it Ghukan?) gives a signal and the party marches forward, heading ever deeper into the pyramid.

The Dune Squad has shuffled no more than perhaps sixty feet when it becomes clear that Anyo has come across more bodies. It is hard to see the details in the distant glow but there are at least four bodies scattered on the ground. They look different than the three you just passed somehow. Likely more of the Exemplar’s slaves again, but perhaps slain in a different fashion.

There is also a fifth body that catches your eye. This one is upright. The figure is standing against the right-hand wall unmoving - you’re not certain if the figure is dead or alive.

The Dune Squad has shuffled no more than perhaps sixty feet when it becomes clear that Anyo has come across more bodies. It is hard to see the details in the distant glow but there are at least four bodies scattered on the ground. They look different than the three you just passed somehow. Likely more of the Exemplar’s slaves again, but perhaps slain in a different fashion.

There is also a fifth body that catches your eye. This one is upright. The figure is standing against the right-hand wall unmoving - you’re not certain if the figure is dead or alive.

Let's have Anyo move another 15 feet and hold position while we (meaning our investigator types) investigate. Unless anyone has a better idea.

Once nothing lunges out at Anyo, Karek obliges with an investigation into the bodies. He will first move slowly down the hall to them, possibly with some other members of the squad checking for traps or some such. If nothing changes, he will begin his inspection with the the upright body.

Let's have Anyo move another 15 feet and hold position while we (meaning our investigator types) investigate. Unless anyone has a better idea.

-

No one ever has a better idea than the Potentate dammit! Not even Ghoukan.
-----
Moonpate calls out to Anyo and his conjuration advances a further 15 feet, coming quite close to the bodies on the floor and the figure standing against the wall.

Anyo's extra light yields some additional, if unfortunately disturbing, information. The bodies appear badly burnt, not by fire, but perhaps a corrosive. There are remnants of some foul acid pooling on the ground around them. Previously I quoted you four bodies. Now you are less certain. Perhaps you are looking at two bodies blown apart. Perhaps it is six, with two to three mostly dissolved. Ugh.

The walls show sign of corrosion burns as well, destroying several hieroglyphs.

The figure standing against the right wall looks to be alive. Gandel and Karek, who are in the front of the Dune Squad, think they just saw him(?) move ever so slightly. He looks like he is turned to the side, looking across the hall - not towards you.

Once nothing lunges out at Anyo, Karek obliges with an investigation into the bodies. He will first move slowly down the hall to them, possibly with some other members of the squad checking for traps or some such. If nothing changes, he will begin his inspection with the the upright body.

-

Anyo appears unharmed. Karek is slowly advancing towards the bodies.

Does he rest of the party follow suit? Or do they wait back, approximately 40 feet back?

Or is the standard CSI investigation team Karek, Gandel, Hal and Donkor? With the balance in reserve?

Karek Only:

As Karek closes, he begins to think he's looking at a survivor. That's a male Osirion slave. He doesn't seem to acknowledge or notice you, though he seems rather disturbed by Anyo. He's still a good thirty feet away.

Karek will continue to advance at the same pace, barely daring to get his hopes up. If this is not some sort of trap, and the man is in fact alive, he will stay that way for a few rounds more, or there was no saving him anyway.

Sooron knows though that some magic operates on the world instantaneously with a devastating effect yet it leaves no aura after it is spent. For example, the faint film of dust left behind by the powerful disintegration spell is non-magical dust.

The scene of carnage before Donkor is sufficiently horrific, that it is possible that magic was involved at some earlier point.

. . . Aforementioned scene of carnage to be elaborated soon. It sounds like the CSI team is moving in. If you can get Donkor’s Heal check, to go with Hal’s, before I do, roll away. Though if the idea is Donkor is going to stand guard continuously sweeping detect magic instead, let me know that too.

Karek and Halstadt advance on the scene of carnage, Donkor not far behind.

OOC: All can read the prior spoiler for Karek at this point

It certainly does look like the Dune Squad has come across a survivor. A young Osirion male, in slave clothes presses his back against the wall. He looks rather out of it – you suspect he has been severely traumatized by whatever attack befell the others on the ground. Perhaps he is catatonic. There are though no signs of physical injury on him. He makes no sounds. He doesn’t even seem to notice your presence, though it looks like he’s seen the glowing Anyo, who is now floating almost right next to him.

Unfortunately Hal’s training cannot tell him much more than the obvious. The bodies on the ground are badly disfigured by acidic burns. These men were likely killed by a splash of acid, the remnants of which still lies in small pools on the floor. Hal has the good sense to avoid stepping in the pools. It is possible to step over or around the pools and progress down the corridor.

Gandel has been busily studying the hieroglyphs along the walls, scribbling notes in his journal. "The laws of Tumen... rather strict... ordered by quite the advanced numbering system, though," the halfling scholar mutters under his breath.

"Here now, what's this? A tiny rune hidden within the larger hieroglyphs - a composite containing all four of the personal runes of the Four Pharaohs. Interesting... if you take the character hiding the rune and read right to left, the hidden rune repeats eleven symbols later, and then again, and so on... Looks like a hidden message. Let's see: 'He' - although in Ancient Osiriani that's more of a universal pronoun. The grammatical positions of the preceding and following letters infer the pronoun 'Who', with the next word being 'Cannot' - or possibly 'does not' or 'will not', there's been too few samples with sufficient context for scholars to be sure - and then 'Follow', but with a broader meaning like 'adhere' or 'be responsible for' or possibly 'commit to'..."

"Hmm... it ends there. There must be more deeper down the passage..."

Gandel pauses as he notices the presence of the new Osirion in the hallway. Gandel speaks calmly to the new person in Osirion.

The apparently traumatized slave doesn't respond to Gandel - or to Ghoukan for that matter. It is as though he doesn't hear him.

When Hal gets right in his face and waves, however, he seems to react somewhat. Perhaps he is trying to make himself smaller or disappear. Regardless of what is going on in his head, he does not respond. Hal is not certain if his most recent attempt to show off his burgeoning Osiriani is working.

Hurgah attempts to discern what the slave is looking at. It’s a toss-up between Anyo and a section of hieroglyphs on the opposite wall (left-hand side) melted away by a gob of acid.

When Hal cast his spell on the slave he seems to relax a bit. His shoulders sag slightly. The slave does not have any actual wounds to heal though. Hal can sense a variety of scrapes and bruises vanish, and some of the pain of being generally malnourished is perhaps erased, but the spell does not otherwise do a whole lot physically. It did though act as a peaceful gesture.

I suppose it also confirms for Hal that he is dealing with a living breathing creature – this man is not undead or the spell would have operated quite differently – gotta watch Hal, he’s sneaky that way.)

As we are leveling does it make sense to drop a few skill points in Osirian as we have been exposed to it for a number of days now Beetle?

-

If I recall correctly, wasn’t Halstadt practicing his Osiriani with Gandel on the ride up from Sothis to the dig site? And I thought he had picked up a translation guide book from the Kothi before he had left. The Scarab had also offered to tutor him, if I remember right.

It is impressive how quickly Morgrym picks up a new language when he immerses himself in the culture.

Yes, if Hal elects to put a newly minted skill point into Linguistics, he gets a free language and can choose Osiriani. Nice foreshadowing!

In addition to what Halstadt reported, Donkor finds hidden signs of impact injuries. The acid must have hit these men like a wave. The force knocked them into the wall. There are traces of blood and skull fragments embedded in a few hieroglyphs along the wall. Yes, they died of burns and were probably killed instantly, but their bodies were also blasted backwards.

Five men died here in total, one of which is largely dissolved. Interestingly, while four were slaves, Donkor believes the fifth might have been a slave driver. He carried a whip and his burnt dressings suggest he was of a station higher than slave. It was probably his job to force the slaves deeper down the shaft.

Donkor can’t see any obvious reason why the catatonic slave was spared. It doesn’t fit.

Donkor also spies what looks like unusual patterns at the edge of one of the acid pools. From the spray marks, it looks like something ran through the acid, possibly a hoofed or clawed animal. For a step or two, the acid leaves a print on the floor. With no signs of any burn, Donkor suspects the creature was immune to the corrosion, a hypothesis which dovetails nicely with Xerissa’s observations that the acid is biological in nature. Whatever it was, it looks like it ran deeper into the shaft.

Once he shares his observations, Donkor switches back to concentrating on his spell.
-----
OOC: Donkor also has a pretty solid Survival skill as well, so I threw that in for the bit about the tracks. While Donkor is casting detect magic continuously, he can’t do anything else.

"Here now, what's this? A tiny rune hidden within the larger hieroglyphs - a composite containing all four of the personal runes of the Four Pharaohs. Interesting... if you take the character hiding the rune and read right to left, the hidden rune repeats eleven symbols later, and then again, and so on... Looks like a hidden message. Let's see: 'He' - although in Ancient Osiriani that's more of a universal pronoun. The grammatical positions of the preceding and following letters infer the pronoun 'Who', with the next word being 'Cannot' - or possibly 'does not' or 'will not', there's been too few samples with sufficient context for scholars to be sure - and then 'Follow', but with a broader meaning like 'adhere' or 'be responsible for' or possibly 'commit to'..."

I love that Beetle knows the surface and underlying reasons for what Hal does as that is exactly why I healed that guard. :-)

Hal shakes his head, "It will take gifts greater than what I can bestow to grant this man his mind back. Gandel does the wall say anything about Suekhan or the number 56? Angradd also mentioned 'Scarab's wall'. Now that we are here does anything look familiar to you Lydia?"

Donkor also spies what looks like unusual patterns at the edge of one of the acid pools. From the spray marks, it looks like something ran through the acid, possibly a hoofed or clawed animal. For a step or two, the acid leaves a print on the floor. With no signs of any burn, Donkor suspects the creature was immune to the corrosion, a hypothesis which dovetails nicely with Xerissa’s observations that the acid is biological in nature. Whatever it was, it looks like it ran deeper into the shaft.
Once he shares his observations, Donkor switches back to concentrating on his spell.

"Doresh's Balls! What an awful way to die. Obviously, there is a creature or guardian lurking nearby that can turn us to goo. Should we not employ means of protection against an acid attack? I know one such spell that can ward some of this damage. Do any others have such protections before we move further on?

Rolling his eyes as the others take in the scene, "Will one of ya shut him up please?! He's startin' to wear on me nerves. You'll be teachin' me the language, Gandel, so I can tell 'im to shut up meself."

Moving up next to Halstadt, Breach stares at the catatonic Anyo. "So his mind's gone, huh? Pity." Turning his attention to Moonpate, "Nope. And you best be for watchin' yer language in front of the ladies, Pate! It's not proper." He gives him a stern look.

I love that Beetle knows the surface and underlying reasons for what Hal does as that is exactly why I healed that guard. :-)

-

Yeah! And I love how Hal just subtly arranged for his diety to take credit for Pharasma's divination without any of the Dune Squad noticing:

Halstadt Morgrym wrote:

Hal shakes his head, "It will take gifts greater than what I can bestow to grant this man his mind back. Gandel does the wall say anything about Suekhan or the number 56? Angradd also mentioned 'Scarab's wall'. Now that we are here does anything look familiar to you Lydia?"

Since we've reached copulation gags, spell-checks on the NPC naming conventions, and the Beetle has started over-reading poor Hal’s posts for sport, my sense is the Dune Squad is probably done with the acid pools and there is a desire to now head deeper into the entry shaft, presumably employing the latest evolution of the default marching order.

Other than Moonpate's efforts to organize some acid immunity, is there anything further that anyone wants to do here?

Karek attempts to help the poor man down, at the same time making sure he's not glued or supernaturally stuck to said wall. You never can tell. He can go in the middle of the marching order, if he's coming with us. I wouldn't make him come with us, but, there's kinda no way back. We'll have to have somebody grab him if he tries to bolt for the entrance.

"What was that you were mumbling about the pictures on the walls? Will it help us figure out what is waiting for us further in? Otherwise, why care about riddles and hidden messages..." Hurgah asks, directed at Gandel and Lydia.

Karek attempts to help the poor man down, at the same time making sure he's not glued or supernaturally stuck to said wall. You never can tell. He can go in the middle of the marching order, if he's coming with us. I wouldn't make him come with us, but, there's kinda no way back. We'll have to have somebody grab him if he tries to bolt for the entrance.

-

Sorry, just to clarify, his feet are on the floor. He's just pushing himself into the wall as though he were terrified of the corridor. Karek finds that the slave is not actually stuck in any way.

He certainly freaks out when Karek puts his giant ham-hands on him, but there’s not a lot he can do about it. (Though I suppose with the disguise illusion still in effect, Karek looks less threatening than usual.)

He seems to acknowledge the Dune Squad’s existence now, which is probably a sign of improvement. He is a sad case indeed. Since he is not talking, or even moving, Karek has no indication that he will follow along with the Dune Squad.

If somebody wants him to come with you, an Osirion speaker will probably need to persuade him (Diplomacy, Bluff, intimidate), assuming he can hear. Alternatively, someone will have to force him along. Right now, he seems to want to be left alone to stare into space.

Karek is indeed wise to consider what would happen if this fellow were to wander back to the “Explosion Wall”.

"Very good, Suhere! You were paying attention. I can understand what the Exemplar saw in you - we'll make a crack explorer out of you yet! You are correct that the Sand Sage's auguries indicated that the ideal number of people in our party to ensure success as we entered the pyramid is ten. However, the Sand Sage's auguries also indicated that we would need to find an eleventh person to ensure our success once we were within the pyramid. As I'm sure you know, the number eleven was particularly meaningful to the Pharaoh of Numbers. Forgive me for not telling you this earlier but when I saw the pile of bodies I feared we would not find the essential eleventh person alive, thus sealing our doom. But as you can see, the Sand Sage's auguries were correct! We have found the eleventh person - the one who is critical to our mission. Our success is assured!"

"I say we just leave him be. He's mind's shot. He's not goin' anywhere and... WILL SOMEONE PLEASE SHUT HIM UP!" He yells as Ghukan continues to yammer. Waiting for Gandel to finish responding,"Nevermind. I'll fix this." Placing his axe up, he moves over to Ghukan and makes sure he's got his attention. "Shut! Up!" He pantomime's being quiet by drawing his fingers across his lips as if zipping them. "Or I will cut you clean in two!" He pulls his axe back out and shows him the blade of it, up close and personal like. Pulling the axe away, he re-emphasizes being quiet with a duplicate pantomime before returning to his position. "Alright! Let's go. We're wastin' time sittin' 'round talkin' about numbers and such. Time ta move."

Intimidate:1d20 ⇒ 18Even though he can't understand a single word. *Shrugs* :P

In Osirion to the semi-catatonic: "Come lad, stay close to the enchanting Mithral Scarab as we move on and her luck will surely keep you safe. And here is a wonderful bite to eat. Nothing like good food to set the mind at ease. We will protect you, so not to fear any further."

Moon will give him one of those tasty treats he pocketed from the Green Tent, a good swig of water, and then escort him to stand next to Lydia.

He will then cast a Resist Elements on Donkor (he has a crappy Reflex save and is towards the front). Someone else should cast on Karek, and if possible Gandel (unless he feels that it is unnecessary). We might want to have Hurgah move up in the marching order if we are anticipating a foul beastie, in which case he should get a Resist Elements as well (if possible).
Once we are ready to go again, I'll order Anyo to move ahead and stay within 40 feet of Karek.

OOC: Does Gandel have an ability that let's him take 10 on Bluff checks? I've just gone with it assuming I've overlooked something, as is often the case.

Ghoukan responds to Gandel.

Osirion speakers only:

"Now it's eleven? This numerancy is complicated stuff. Well, if you say. Who am I to doubt the Sand Sage?"

"Really, while I appreciate the confidence you all have, if I were a pyramid architect, I would build a funnel in the entryway for tomb robbers, probably not unlike this one. I haven't seen a single option to go left or right."

"We should be looking for a hidden passage out of here. I think when you reach the end of this shaft, that's when whatever happened to these poor saps jumps out. Ka-Zam!" He taps his spear to the ground for emphasis.

"I say we just leave him be. He's mind's shot. He's not goin' anywhere and... WILL SOMEONE PLEASE SHUT HIM UP!" He yells as Ghukan continues to yammer. Waiting for Gandel to finish responding, "Nevermind. I'll fix this." Placing his axe up, he moves over to Ghukan and makes sure he's got his attention. "Shut! Up!" He pantomime's being quiet by drawing his fingers across his lips as if zipping them. "Or I will cut you clean in two!" He pulls his axe back out and shows him the blade of it, up close and personal like. Pulling the axe away, he re-emphasizes being quiet with a duplicate pantomime before returning to his position. "Alright! Let's go. We're wastin' time sittin' 'round talkin' about numbers and such. Time ta move."

-

And with that Ghoukan falls silent. But the look in his eyes makes it clear there is no love lost between these two.

As Karek dumps the catatonic slave, Moonpate steps in, bringing he kid gloves to lure him into falling in line with the party's march as it sets out. It takes a degree of coaxing, but he is ultimately successful.

He then fortifies the Sooron by affixing him with a potent protective ward.

Karek wouldn't mind acid resistance, if people think it's a good idea. Spend your resources as you will. :)

-

I haven't seen Mr. Exciting reappear yet, so I'll follow-up here.

Karek was the first to call it, so he gets the remaining resist energy. Be it ever so OOC, as I imagine between the superstitious barbarian power and Karek's mistrust of spellcasters, he probably wouldn't be first in line.
-----

"As the wizard says, let's fortify that front-line," says Xerissa with cheer to the reluctant dwarf. Karek though suspects she'll accept any excuse to try out her bizarre substances.

The alchemist unfolds a miniature work table and combines a collection of gels and powders, creating a transparent goop in a dish. She then lathers a thin coating over Karek's armor. She finishes it off by whispering an incantation, to bring her alien concoction to life. When she's done there's an eldritch flash and the substance disappears.

"There we go! All set. Dip your toe in one of those acidic pools if you dare and give it a test!"

"What was that you were mumbling about the pictures on the walls? Will it help us figure out what is waiting for us further in? Otherwise, why care about riddles and hidden messages..." Hurgah asks, directed at Gandel and Lydia.

-

Sounds like a high INT player working within the bounds of his 7 INT score. . .Well done.

The Aforementioned Ka-Zam!
-
The Dune Squad advances another thirty, no make it forty, paces deeper into the shaft.

Then it comes.

There is a horrid screeching noise intertwined with a deep growl. The challenge reverberates off the walls of the shaft in such a way that it is impossible to tell if it is coming from the front, the side or behind.

A split-second later something flies out from the dark and you can confirm the howl is coming from the front - definitely the front.

Filling the corridor, a massive ape-like beast descends upon Anyo. It tears away at the conjured apparition with its claws. It moves so fast the creature looks like it has four claws. Hold it a second, it might actually have four claws. And four arms! And a slavering jaw of fangs.

Whatever it is, its body is covered in glowing hieroglyphs. The symbols have been tattooed or painted on its body, but if so, the dyes or paint are of a color of which you have never seen used before, they glow a brilliant blue. How it is that you did not see this creature coming from a mile away, you cannot say.

Fortunately for Anyo 2.0, he appears to be immune to the creature's blows. Unfortunately, for you the monster is quickly losing interest in the conjuration, turning its attention to the Dune Squad. It looks to charge!

OOC: The Potentate's scout has saved the party from a potential surprise round - nice work for a level-1 scroll and a cantrip. This will instead be a straight initiative. It was nice knowing you all.

Karek squirms (there's no other word for it) a bit when Xerissa applies her strange concoction to him. When her final incatation goes up, he braces himself for the worst, but nothing seems to explode or anything. He dips a hand in the acid pool to test her work, and nods with gruff approval. As ye say, lass. Can ye do dad wid vire? Karek's eyes seem far away.

Initiative!:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

They return quickly at the promise of battle, though.

Believe me, X, I've been toeing the line between a hardened, magic-hating battlerager, and a smart, buff-loving powergamer ever since this campaign started.

OOC: Does Gandel have an ability that let's him take 10 on Bluff checks? I've just gone with it assuming I've overlooked something, as is often the case.

Pact Stone GM:

I was going off of the rules in the PRD for for Taking 10 on skill checks:

Taking 10: When your character is not in immediate danger or distracted, you may choose to take 10. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, calculate your result as if you had rolled a 10. For many routine tasks, taking 10 makes them automatically successful. Distractions or threats (such as combat) make it impossible for a character to take 10. In most cases, taking 10 is purely a safety measure—you know (or expect) that an average roll will succeed but fear that a poor roll might fail, so you elect to settle for the average roll (a 10). Taking 10 is especially useful in situations where a particularly high roll wouldn't help.